A textbook or a course book is a manual or instruction in any branch of study. Traditionally, most textbooks were only published in printed format, however, many textbooks are now available as online electronic textbooks. Electronic textbooks can be downloaded to a computer, a laptop, a tablet device, or a smart phone. Some electronic textbooks are also searchable.
Many individuals find it difficult to read a textbook and understand the concepts in the textbook. Reading a textbook can be difficult because textbooks primarily contain strings of words, whereas some individuals are visual learners and prefer to learn in a visual manner. Furthermore, textbooks are dense and thick, so reading them can be a very laborious and time-consuming activity.
Since reading a textbook can be time-consuming, some individuals prefer to read textbook notes or course notes that can be abridged versions of the textbook and explain the material using fewer words and pages. However, like textbooks, most textbook notes or course notes primarily contain strings of words and therefore suffer from many of the same shortcomings of a textbook. Some individuals read notes that they hastily prepared during a lecture, notes they received from a friend, or notes they downloaded from the Internet or from a notes marketplace. Such notes can be inaccurate, incomplete or incomprehensible.